Artists create not only for the sheer joy of the creative act, but also to meet the challenge it inevitably entails—to communicate and articulate an aspect of reality that is best heard, shown, or experienced. In this way, the artist gives form to the intangible dimensions of humanity. In viewing art, one is given the privilege to peer into the artist’s soul; invited, as it were, to receive the artist’s gift of himself, through his work. In this way, art is an act of love that provides a voice for what would otherwise remain hidden.

Art enables us to move beyond ourselves, and to shape, through our imagination, the world in which we live. We affirm the transformative power of art in society and culture, and its capacity to reveal man’s desire for the transcendent. We encourage artists to participate in the noble work of elevating the human spirit, which we believe is the great task of art in the modern world. In this way, artists have a crucial role in understanding human life, and building societies and cultures that affirm the dignity of every human person.

~ from the World Youth Alliance‘s Declaration on Art and the Human Person